966Prin. Ned, prethee come out of that fat roome, & lend

967me thy hand to laugh a little.

968Poines. Where hast bene Hall?

969Prin. With three or foure Logger-heads, amongst 3.

970or fourescore Hogsheads. I haue sounded the verie base

971string of humility. Sirra, I am sworn brother to a leash of

972Drawers, and can call them by their names, as Tom, Dicke,

973and Francis. They take it already vpon their confidence,

974that though I be but Prince of Wales, yet I am the King

975of Curtesie: telling me flatly I am no proud Iack like Fal-

976staffe, but a Corinthian, a lad of mettle, a good boy, and

977when I am King of England, I shall command al the good

978Laddes in East-cheape. They call drinking deepe, dy-

979ing Scarlet; and when you breath in your watering, then

980they cry hem, and bid you play it off. To conclude, I am

981so good a proficient in one quarter of an houre, that I can

982drinke with any Tinker in his owne Language during my

983life. I tell thee Ned, thou hast lost much honor, that thou

984wer't not with me in this action: but sweet Ned, to swee-

985ten which name of Ned, I giue thee this peniworth of Su-

986gar, clapt euen now into my hand by an vnder Skinker,

987one that neuer spake other English in his life, then Eight

988shillings and six pence, and, You are welcome: with this shril

989addition, Anon, Anon sir, Score a Pint of Bastard in the

990Halfe Moone, or so. But Ned, to driue away time till Fal-

991staffe come, I prythee doe thou stand in some by-roome,

992while I question my puny Drawer, to what end hee gaue

993me the Sugar, and do neuer leaue calling Francis, that his

994Tale to me may be nothing but, Anon: step aside, and Ile

995shew thee a President.

996Poines. Francis.

997Prin. Thou art perfect.

998Poin. Francis.

1000Fran. Anon, anon sir; looke downe into the Pomgar-

1001net, Ralfe.

1002Prince. Come hither Francis.

1003Fran. My Lord.

1004Prin. How long hast thou to serue, Francis?

1005Fran. Forsooth fiue yeares, and as much as to---

1006Poin. Francis.

1007Fran. Anon, anon sir.

1008Prin. Fiue yeares: Berlady a long Lease for the clin-

1009king of Pewter. But Francis, darest thou be so valiant, as

1010to play the coward with thy Indenture, & shew it a faire

1011paire of heeles, and run from it?

1012Fran. O Lord sir, Ile be sworne vpon all the Books in

1013England, I could finde in my heart.

1014Poin. Francis.

1015Fran. Anon, anon sir.

1016Prin. How old art thou, Francis?

1017Fran. Let me see, about Michaelmas next I shalbe---

1018Poin. Francis.

1019Fran. Anon sir, pray you stay a little, my Lord.

1020Prin. Nay but harke you Francis, for the Sugar thou

1021gauest me, 'twas a penyworth, was't not?

1022Fran. O Lord sir, I would it had bene two.

1023Prin. I will giue thee for it a thousand pound: Aske

1024me when thou wilt, and thou shalt haue it.

1025Poin. Francis.

1026Fran. Anon, anon.

1027Prin. Anon Francis? No Francis, but to morrow Fran-

1028cis: or Francis, on thursday: or indeed Francis when thou

1029wilt. But Francis.

1030Fran. My Lord.

1031Prin. Wilt thou rob this Leatherne Ierkin, Christall

1032button, Not-pated, Agat ring, Puke stocking, Caddice

1033garter, Smooth tongue, Spanish pouch.

1034Fran. O Lord sir, who do you meane?

1035Prin. Why then your browne Bastard is your onely

1036drinke: for looke you Francis, your white Canuas doub-

1037let will sulley. In Barbary sir, it cannot come to so much.

1038Fran. What sir?

1039Poin. Francis.

1040Prin. Away you Rogue, dost thou heare them call?

1044Vint. What, stand'st thou still, and hear'st such a cal-

1045ling? Looke to the Guests within: My Lord, olde Sir

1046Iohn with halfe a dozen more, are at the doore: shall I let

1047them in?

1048Prin. Let them alone awhile, and then open the doore.

1049Poines.

1051Poin. Anon, anon sir.

1052Prin. Sirra, Falstaffe and the rest of the Theeues, are at

1053the doore, shall we be merry?

1054Poin. As merrie as Crickets my Lad. But harke yee,

1055What cunning match haue you made this iest of the

1056Drawer? Come, what's the issue?

1057Prin. I am now of all humors, that haue shewed them-

1058selues humors, since the old dayes of goodman Adam, to

1059the pupill age of this present twelue a clock at midnight.

1060What's a clocke Francis?

1061Fran. Anon, anon sir.

1062Prin. That euer this Fellow should haue fewer words

1063then a Parret, and yet the sonne of a Woman. His indu-

1064stry is vp-staires and down-staires, his eloquence the par-

1065cell of a reckoning. I am not yet of Percies mind, the Hot-

1066spurre of the North, he that killes me some sixe or seauen

1067dozen of Scots at a Breakfast, washes his hands, and saies

1068to his wife; Fie vpon this quiet life, I want worke. O my

1069sweet Harry sayes she, how many hast thou kill'd to day?

1070Giue my Roane horse a drench (sayes hee) and answeres,

1071some fourteene, an houre after: a trifle, a trifle. I prethee

1072call in Falstaffe, Ile play Percy, and that damn'd Brawne

1073shall play Dame Mortimer his wife. Riuo, sayes the drun-

1074kard. Call in Ribs, call in Tallow.

1076Poin. Welcome Iacke, where hast thou beene?

1077Fal. A plague of all Cowards I say, and a Vengeance

1078too, marry and Amen. Giue me a cup of Sacke Boy. Ere

1079I leade this life long, Ile sowe nether stockes, and mend

1080them too. A plague of all cowards. Giue me a Cup of

1081Sacke, Rogue. Is there no Vertue extant?

1082Prin. Didst thou neuer see Titan kisse a dish of Butter,

1083pittifull hearted Titan that melted at the sweete Tale of

1084the Sunne? If thou didst, then behold that compound.

1085Fal. You Rogue, heere's Lime in this Sacke too: there

1086is nothing but Roguery to be found in Villanous man; yet

1087a Coward is worse then a Cup of Sack with lime. A vil-

1088lanous Coward, go thy wayes old Iacke, die when thou

1089wilt, if manhood, good manhood be not forgot vpon the

1090face of the earth, then am I a shotten Herring: there liues

1091not three good men vnhang'd in England, & one of them

1092is fat, and growes old, God helpe the while, a bad world I

1093say. I would I were a Weauer, I could sing all manner of

1094songs. A plague of all Cowards, I say still.

1095Prin. How now Woolsacke, what mntter you?

1096Fal. A Kings Sonne? If I do not beate thee out of thy

1097Kingdome with a dagger of Lath, and driue all thy Sub-

1098iects afore thee like a flocke of Wilde-geese, Ile neuer

1099weare haire on my face more. You Prince of Wales?

1100Prin. Why you horson round man? what's the matter?

1101Fal. Are you not a Coward? Answer me to that, and

1102Poines there?

1103Prin. Ye fatch paunch, and yee call mee Coward, Ile

1104stab thee.

1105Fal. I call thee Coward? Ile see thee damn'd ere I call

1106the Coward: but I would giue a thousand pound I could

1107run as fast as thou canst. You are straight enough in the

1108shoulders, you care not who sees your backe: Call you

1109that backing of your friends? a plague vpon such bac-

1110king: giue me them that will face me. Giue me a Cup

1111of Sack, I am a Rogue if I drunke to day.

1112Prin. O Villaine, thy Lippes are scarce wip'd, since

1113thou drunk'st last.

1114Falst. All's one for that. He drinkes.

1115A plague of all Cowards still, say I.

1116Prince. What's the matter?

1117Falst. What's the matter? here be foure of vs, haue

1118ta'ne a thousand pound this Morning.

1119Prince. Where is it, Iack? where is it?

1120Falst. Where is it? taken from vs, it is: a hundred

1121vpon poore foure of vs.

1122Prince. What, a hundred, man?

1123Falst. I am a Rogue, if I were not at halfe Sword with

1124a dozen of them two houres together. I haue scaped by

1125miracle. I am eight times thrust through the Doublet,

1126foure through the Hose, my Buckler cut through and

1127through, my Sword hackt like a Hand-saw, ecce signum.

1128I neuer dealt better since I was a man: all would not doe.

1129A plague of all Cowards: let them speake; if they speake

1130more or lesse then truth, they are villaines, and the sonnes

1131of darknesse.

1132Prince. Speake sirs, how was it?

1133Gad. We foure set vpon some dozen.

1134Falst. Sixteene, at least, my Lord.

1135Gad. And bound them.

1136Peto. No, no, they were not bound.

1137Falst. You Rogue, they were bound, euery man of

1138them, or I am a Iew else, an Ebrew Iew.

1139Gad. As we were sharing, some sixe or seuen fresh men

1140set vpon vs.

1141Falst. And vnbound the rest, and then come in the

1142other.

1143Prince. What, fought yee with them all?

1144Falst. All? I know not what yee call all: but if I

1145fought not with fiftie of them, I am a bunch of Radish:

1146if there were not two or three and fiftie vpon poore olde

1147Iack, then am I no two-legg'd Creature.

1148Poin. Pray Heauen, you haue not murthered some of

1149them.

1150Falst. Nay, that's past praying for, I haue pepper'd

1151two of them: Two I am sure I haue payed, two Rogues

1152in Buckrom Sutes. I tell thee what, Hal, if I tell thee a

1153Lye, spit in my face, call me Horse: thou knowest my olde

1154word: here I lay, and thus I bore my point; foure Rogues

1155in Buckrom let driue at me.

1156Prince. What, foure? thou sayd'st but two, euen now.

1157Falst. Foure Hal, I told thee foure.

1158Poin. I, I, he said foure.

1159Falst. These foure came all a-front, and mainely thrust

1160at me; I made no more adoe, but tooke all their seuen

1161points in my Targuet, thus.

1162Prince. Seuen? why there were but foure, euen now.

1163Falst. In Buckrom.

1164Poin. I, foure, in Buckrom Sutes.

1165Falst. Seuen, by these Hilts, or I am a Villaine else.

1166Prin. Prethee let him alone, we shall haue more anon.

1167Falst. Doest thou heare me, Hal?

1168Prin. I, and marke thee too, Iack.

1169Falst. Doe so, for it is worth the listning too: these

1170nine in Buckrom, that I told thee of.

1171Prin. So, two more alreadie.

1172Falst. Their Points being broken.

1173Poin. Downe fell his Hose.

1174Falst. Began to giue me ground: but I followed me

1175close, came in foot and hand; and with a thought, seuen of

1176the eleuen I pay'd.

1177Prin. O monstrous! eleuen Buckrom men growne

1178out of two?

1179Falst. But as the Deuill would haue it, three mis-be-

1180gotten Knaues, in Kendall Greene, came at my Back, and

1181let driue at me; for it was so darke, Hal, that thou could'st

1182not see thy Hand.

1183Prin. These Lyes are like the Father that begets them,

1184grosse as a Mountaine, open, palpable. Why thou Clay-

1185brayn'd Guts, thou Knotty-pated Foole, thou Horson ob-

1186scene greasie Tallow Catch.

1187Falst. What, art thou mad? art thou mad? is not the

1188truth, the truth?

1189Prin. Why, how could'st thou know these men in

1190Kendall Greene, when it was so darke, thou could'st not

1191see thy Hand? Come, tell vs your reason: what say'st thou

1192to this?

1193Poin. Come, your reason Iack, your reason.

1194Falst. What, vpon compulsion? No: were I at the

1195Strappado, or all the Racks in the World, I would not

1196tell you on compulsion. Giue you a reason on compulsi-

1197on? If Reasons were as plentie as Black-berries, I would

1198giue no man a Reason vpon compulsion, I.

1199Prin. Ile be no longer guiltie of this sinne. This san-

1200guine Coward, this Bed-presser, this Hors-back-breaker,

1201this huge Hill of Flesh.

1202Falst. Away you Starueling, you Elfe-skin, you dried

1203Neats tongue, Bulles-pissell, you stocke-fish: O for breth

1204to vtter. What is like thee? You Tailors yard, you sheath

1205you Bow-case, you vile standing tucke.

1206Prin. Well, breath a-while, and then to't againe: and

1207when thou hast tyr'd thy selfe in base comparisons, heare

1208me speake but thus.

1209Poin. Marke Iacke.

1210Prin. We two, saw you foure set on foure and bound

1211them, and were Masters of their Wealth: mark now how

1212a plaine Tale shall put you downe. Then did we two, set

1213on you foure, and with a word, outfac'd you from your

1214prize, and haue it: yea, and can shew it you in the House.

1215And Falstaffe, you caried your Guts away as nimbly, with

1216as quicke dexteritie, and roared for mercy, and still ranne

1217and roar'd, as euer I heard Bull-Calfe. What a Slaue art

1218thou, to hacke thy sword as thou hast done, and then say

1219it was in fight. What trick? what deuice? what starting

1220hole canst thou now find out, to hide thee from this open

1221and apparant shame?

1222Poines. Come, let's heare Iacke: What tricke hast

1223thou now?

1224Fal. I knew ye as well as he that made ye. Why heare

1225ye my Masters, was it for me to kill the Heire apparant?

1226Should I turne vpon the true Prince? Why, thou knowest

1227I am as valiant as Hercules: but beware Instinct, the Lion

1228will not touch the true Prince: Instinct is a great matter.

1229I was a Coward on Instinct: I shall thinke the better of

1230my selfe, and thee, during my life: I, for a valiant Lion,

1231and thou for a true Prince. But Lads, I am glad you haue

1232the Mony. Hostesse, clap to the doores: watch to night,

1233pray to morrow. Gallants, Lads, Boyes, Harts of Gold,

1234all the good Titles of Fellowship come to you. What,

1235shall we be merry? shall we haue a Play extempory.

1236Prin. Content, and the argument shall be, thy runing

1237away.

1238Fal. A, no more of that Hall, and thou louest me.

1240Host. My Lord, the Prince?

1241Prin. How now my Lady the Hostesse, what say'st

1242thou to me?

1243Hostesse. Marry, my Lord, there is a Noble man of the

1244Court at doore would speake with you: hee sayes, hee

1245comes from your Father.

1246Prin. Giue him as much as will make him a Royall

1247man, and send him backe againe to my Mother.

1248Falst. What manner of man is hee?

1249Hostesse. An old man.

1250Falst. What doth Grauitie out of his Bed at Midnight?

1251Shall I giue him his answere?

1252Prin. Prethee doe Iacke.

1253Falst. 'Faith, and Ile send him packing. Exit.

1254Prince. Now Sirs: you fought faire; so did you

1255Peto, so did you Bardol: you are Lyons too, you ranne

1256away vpon instinct: you will not touch the true Prince;

1257no, fie.

1258Bard. 'Faith, I ranne when I saw others runne.

1259Prin. Tell mee now in earnest, how came Falstaffes

1260Sword so hackt?

1261Peto. Why, he hackt it with his Dagger, and said, hee

1262would sweare truth out of England, but hee would make

1263you beleeue it was done in fight, and perswaded vs to doe

1264the like.

1265Bard. Yea, and to tickle our Noses with Spear-grasse,

1266to make them bleed, and then to beslubber our garments

1267with it, and sweare it was the blood of true men. I did

1268that I did not this seuen yeeres before, I blusht to heare

1269his monstrous deuices.

1270Prin. O Villaine, thou stolest a Cup of Sacke eigh-

1271teene yeeres agoe, and wert taken with the manner, and

1272euer since thou hast blusht extempore: thou hadst fire

1273and sword on thy side, and yet thou ranst away; what

1274instinct hadst thou for it?

1275Bard. My Lord, doe you see these Meteors? doe you

1276behold these Exhalations?

1277Prin. I doe

1278Bard. What thinke you they portend?

1279Prin. Hot Liuers, and cold Purses.

1280Bard. Choler, my Lord, if rightly taken.

1281Prin. No, if rightly taken, Halter.

1283Heere comes leane Iacke, heere comes bare-bone. How

1284now my sweet Creature of Bombast, how long is't agoe,

1285Iacke, since thou saw'st thine owne Knee?

1286Falst. My owne Knee? When I was about thy yeeres

1287( Hal) I was not an Eagles Talent in the Waste, I could

1288haue crept into any Aldermans Thumbe-Ring: a plague

1289of sighing and griefe, it blowes a man vp like a Bladder.

1290There's villanous Newes abroad; heere was Sir Iohn

1291Braby from your Father; you must goe to the Court in

1292the Morning. The same mad fellow of the North, Percy;

1293and hee of Wales, that gaue Amamon the Bastinado,

1294and made Lucifer Cuckold, and swore the Deuill his true

1295Liege-man vpon the Crosse of a Welch-hooke; what a

1296plague call you him?

1297Poin. O, Glendower.

1298Falst. Owen, Owen; the same, and his Sonne in Law

1299Mortimer, and old Northumberland, and the sprightly

1300Scot of Scots, Dowglas, that runnes a Horse-backe vp a

1301Hill perpendicular.

1302Prin. Hee that rides at high speede, and with a Pistoll

1303kills a Sparrow flying.

1304Falst. You haue hit it.

1305Prin. So did he neuer the Sparrow.

1306Falst. Well, that Rascall hath good mettall in him,

1307hee will not runne.

1308Prin. Why, what a Rascall art thou then, to prayse him

1309so for running?

1310Falst. A Horse-backe (ye Cuckoe) but a foot hee will

1311not budge a foot.

1312Prin. Yes Iacke, vpon instinct.

1313Falst. I grant ye, vpon instinct: Well, hee is there too,

1314and one Mordake, and a thousand blew-Cappes more.

1315Worcester is stolne away by Night: thy Fathers Beard is

1316turn'd white with the Newes; you may buy Land now

1317as cheape as stinking Mackrell.

1318Prin. Then 'tis like, if there come a hot Sunne, and this

1319ciuill buffetting hold, wee shall buy Maiden-heads as

1320they buy Hob-nayles, by the Hundreds.

1321Falst. By the Masse Lad, thou say'st true, it is like wee

1322shall haue good trading that way. But tell me Hal, art

1323not thou horrible afear'd? thou being Heire apparant,

1324could the World picke thee out three such Enemyes a-

1325gaine, as that Fiend Dowglas, that Spirit Percy, and that

1326Deuill Glendower? Art not thou horrible afraid? Doth

1327not thy blood thrill at it?

1328Prin. Not a whit: I lacke some of thy instinct.

1329Falst. Well, thou wilt be horrible chidde to morrow,

1330when thou commest to thy Father: if thou doe loue me,

1331practise an answere.

1332Prin. Doe thou stand for my Father, and examine mee

1333vpon the particulars of my Life.

1334Falst. Shall I? content: This Chayre shall bee my

1335State, this Dagger my Scepter, and this Cushion my

1336Crowne.

1337Prin. Thy State is taken for a Ioyn'd-Stoole, thy Gol-

1338den Scepter for a Leaden Dagger, and thy precious rich

1339Crowne, for a pittifull bald Crowne.

1340Falst. Well, and the fire of Grace be not quite out of

1341thee, now shalt thou be moued. Giue me a Cup of Sacke

1342to make mine eyes looke redde, that it may be thought I

1343haue wept, for I must speake in passion, and I will doe it

1344in King Cambyses vaine.

1345Prin. Well, heere is my Legge.

1346Falst. And heere is my speech: stand aside Nobilitie.

1347Hostesse. This is excellent sport, yfaith.

1348Falst. Weepe not, sweet Queene, for trickling teares

1349are vaine.

1350Hostesse. O the Father, how hee holdes his counte-

1351nance?

1352Falst. For Gods sake Lords, conuey my trustfull Queen,

1353For teares doe stop the floud-gates of her eyes.

1354Hostesse. O rare, he doth it as like one of these harlotry

1355Players, as euer I see.

1356Falst. Peace good Pint-pot, peace good Tickle-braine.

1357Harry, I doe not onely maruell where thou spendest thy

1358time; but also, how thou art accompanied: For though

1359the Camomile, the more it is troden, the faster it growes;

1360yet Youth, the more it is wasted, the sooner it weares.

1361Thou art my Sonne: I haue partly thy Mothers Word,

1362partly my Opinion; but chiefely, a villanous tricke of

1363thine Eye, and a foolish hanging of thy nether Lippe, that

1364doth warrant me. If then thou be Sonne to mee, heere

1365lyeth the point: why, being Sonne to me, art thou so

1366poynted at? Shall the blessed Sonne of Heauen proue a

1367Micher, and eate Black-berryes? a question not to bee

1368askt. Shall the Sonne of England proue a Theefe, and

1369take Purses? a question to be askt. There is a thing,

1370Harry, which thou hast often heard of, and it is knowne to

1371many in our Land, by the Name of Pitch: this Pitch (as

1372ancient Writers doe report) doth defile; so doth the com-

1373panie thou keepest: for Harry, now I doe not speake to

1374thee in Drinke, but in Teares; not in Pleasure, but in Pas-

1375sion; not in Words onely, but in Woes also: and yet

1376there is a vertuous man, whom I haue often noted in thy

1377companie, but I know not his Name.

1378Prin. What manner of man, and it like your Ma-

1379iestie?

1380Falst. A goodly portly man yfaith, and a corpulent,

1381of a chearefull Looke, a pleasing Eye, and a most noble

1382Carriage, and as I thinke, his age some fiftie, or (byrlady)

1383inclining to threescore; and now I remember mee, his

1384Name is Falstaffe: if that man should be lewdly giuen,

1385hee deceiues mee; for Harry, I see Vertue in his Lookes.

1386If then the Tree may be knowne by the Fruit, as the Fruit

1387by the Tree, then peremptorily I speake it, there is Vertue

1388in that Falstaffe: him keepe with, the rest banish. And

1389tell mee now, thou naughtie Varlet, tell mee, where hast

1390thou beene this moneth?

1391Prin. Do'st thou speake like a King? doe thou stand

1392for mee, and Ile play my Father.

1393Falst. Depose me: if thou do'st it halfe so grauely, so

1394maiestically, both in word and matter, hang me vp by the

1395heeles for a Rabbet-sucker, or a Poulters Hare.

1396Prin. Well, heere I am set.

1397Falst. And heere I stand: iudge my Masters.

1398Prin. Now Harry, whence come you?

1399Falst. My Noble Lord, from East-cheape.

1400Prin. The complaints I heare of thee, are grieuous.

1401Falst. Yfaith, my Lord, they are false: Nay, Ile tickle

1402ye for a young Prince.

1403Prin. Swearest thou, vngracious Boy? henceforth

1404ne're looke on me: thou art violently carryed away from

1405Grace: there is a Deuill haunts thee, in the likenesse of a

1406fat old Man; a Tunne of Man is thy Companion: Why

1407do'st thou conuerse with that Trunke of Humors, that

1408Boulting-Hutch of Beastlinesse, that swolne Parcell of

1409Dropsies, that huge Bombard of Sacke, that stuft Cloake-

1410bagge of Guts, that rosted Manning Tree Oxe with the

1411Pudding in his Belly, that reuerend Vice, that grey Ini-

1412quitie, that Father Ruffian, that Vanitie in yeeres? where-

1413in is he good, but to taste Sacke, and drinke it? wherein

1414neat and cleanly, but to carue a Capon, and eat it? where-

1415in Cunning, but in Craft? wherein Craftie, but in Villa-

1416nie? wherein Villanous, but in all things? wherein wor-

1417thy, but in nothing?

1418Falst. I would your Grace would take me with you:

1419whom meanes your Grace?

1420Prince. That villanous abhominable mis-leader of

1421Youth, Falstaffe, that old white-bearded Sathan.

1422Falst. My Lord, the man I know.

1423Prince. I know thou do'st.

1424Falst. But to say, I know more harme in him then in

1425my selfe, were to say more then I know. That hee is olde

1426(the more the pittie) his white hayres doe witnesse it:

1427but that hee is (sauing your reuerence) a Whore-ma-

1428ster, that I vtterly deny. If Sacke and Sugar bee a fault,

1429Heauen helpe the Wicked: if to be olde and merry, be a

1430sinne, then many an olde Hoste that I know, is damn'd:

1431if to be fat, be to be hated, then Pharaohs leane Kine are

1432to be loued. No, my good Lord, banish Peto, banish

1433Bardolph, banish Poines: but for sweete Iacke Falstaffe,

1434kinde Iacke Falstaffe, true Iacke Falstaffe, valiant Iacke Fal-

1435staffe, and therefore more valiant, being as hee is olde Iack

1436Falstaffe, banish not him thy Harryes companie, banish

1437not him thy Harryes companie; banish plumpe Iacke, and

1438banish all the World.

1439Prince. I doe, I will.

1441Bard. O, my Lord, my Lord, the Sherife, with a most

1442most monstrous Watch, is at the doore.

1443Falst. Out you Rogue, play out the Play: I haue much

1444to say in the behalfe of that Falstaffe.

1446Hostesse. O, my Lord, my Lord.

1447Falst. Heigh, heigh, the Deuill rides vpon a Fiddle-

1448sticke: what's the matter?

1449Hostesse. The Sherife and all the Watch are at the

1450doore: they are come to search the House, shall I let

1451them in?

1452Falst. Do'st thou heare Hal, neuer call a true peece of

1453Gold a Counterfeit: thou art essentially made, without

1454seeming so.

1455Prince. And thou a naturall Coward, without in-

1456stinct.

1457Falst. I deny your Maior: if you will deny the

1458Sherife, so: if not, let him enter. If I become not a Cart

1459as well as another man, a plague on my bringing vp: I

1460hope I shall as soone be strangled with a Halter, as ano-

1461ther.

1462Prince. Goe hide thee behinde the Arras, the rest

1463walke vp aboue. Now my Masters, for a true Face and

1464good Conscience.

1465Falst. Both which I haue had: but their date is out,

1466and therefore Ile hide me. Exit.

1467Prince. Call in the Sherife.

1469Prince. Now Master Sherife, what is your will with

1470mee?

1471She. First pardon me, my Lord. A Hue and Cry hath

1472followed certaine men vnto this house.

1473Prince. What men?

1474She. One of them is well knowne, my gracious Lord,

1475a grosse fat man.

1476Car. As fat as Butter.

1477Prince. The man, I doe assure you, is not heere,

1478For I my selfe at this time haue imploy'd him:

1479And Sherife, I will engage my word to thee,

1480That I will by to morrow Dinner time,

1481Send him to answere thee, or any man,

1482For any thing he shall be charg'd withall:

1483And so let me entreat you, leaue the house.

1484She. I will, my Lord: there are two Gentlemen

1485Haue in this Robberie lost three hundred Markes.

1486Prince. It may be so: if he haue robb'd these men,

1487He shall be answerable: and so farewell.

1488She. Good Night, my Noble Lord.

1489Prince. I thinke it is good Morrow, is it not?

1490She. Indeede, my Lord, I thinke it be two a Clocke.

1492Prince. This oyly Rascall is knowne as well as Poules:

1493goe call him forth.

1494Peto. Falstaffe? fast asleepe behinde the Arras, and

1495snorting like a Horse.

1496Prince. Harke, how hard he fetches breath: search his

1497Pockets.

1500Prince. What hast thou found?

1501Peto. Nothing but Papers, my Lord.

1502Prince. Let's see, what be they? reade them.

1503Peto. Item, a Capon. ii.s.ii.d.

1504Item, Sawce iiii.d.

1505Item, Sacke, two Gallons. v.s.viii.d.

1506Item, Anchoues and Sacke after Supper. ii.s.vi.d.

1507Item, Bread. ob.

1508Prince. O monstrous, but one halfe penny-worth of

1509Bread to this intollerable deale of Sacke? What there is

1510else, keepe close, wee'le reade it at more aduantage: there

1511let him sleepe till day. Ile to the Court in the Morning:

1512Wee must all to the Warres, and thy place shall be hono-

1513rable. Ile procure this fat Rogue a Charge of Foot,

1514and I know his death will be a Match of Twelue-score.

1515The Money shall be pay'd backe againe with aduantage.

1516Be with me betimes in the Morning: and so good mor-

1517row Peto.

1518Peto. Good morrow, good my Lord.